Examining the effects of the pandemic on consumers' purchasing behavior in the field of e-commerce and the permanence of these effects after the pandemic: Alanya example

The Covid-19 pandemic radically transformed consumer behavior and made online shopping an essential part of daily life. This thesis investigates the impact of pandemic conditions on individuals' online shopping behaviors and examines whether these behavioral changes have persisted in the post-pandemic period, using Alanya as a case study. Data were collected through a structured survey administered to 509 participants representing diverse age, gender, education, and income groups. The data were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, multiple regression, logistic regression, and Principal Component Analysis. The findings indicate a statistically significant increase in online shopping frequency during the pandemic (p < 0.001), with more than 65% of respondents reporting that they continued shopping online frequently even after pandemic restrictions were lifted. Among the key drivers of behavioral persistence, perceptions of timesaving and convenience stood out as the strongest predictors (β = 0.462; p < 0.01). Furthermore, users of mobile applications were significantly faster in their purchasing decisions compared to those using other methods (p < 0.05). Young individuals, those in higher income brackets, and consumers who focused on food and electronics categories during the pandemic were more likely to sustain their digital shopping habits over time. These results suggest that the pandemic led not only to a temporary shift but also to a structural transformation in consumer behavior. The study recommends that local businesses in Alanya invest in digital infrastructure, enhance user-friendly mobile interfaces, and improve logistics operations to remain competitive in the evolving marketplace. Key Words: Digital Consumption Behaviors, Post-Pandemic Shopping Tendencies, Persistence of E-Commerce, Consumer Decision-Making Processes, Behavioral Transformation